Exception Rule

This comes from the DBT Deck by Lane Pederson with my thoughts added.

The exception rule is a great dialectical technique to jump-start positive change. 

Think back through your history to see what helpful or healthy behaviors you do when life is going better. 

Do more of those behaviors now! 

Examples might be following a schedule, being proactive with self-care behaviors, getting 7-9 hours of sleep or plugging into social support. 

In other words, do more of what works. This advice sounds simple because it is. Unfortunately, when we are in a negative mindset, it can be hard to remember what we were doing when life felt more positive. A lot of times when we are feeling low, we hunker down and stop doing a lot of the things that brought us pleasure and end up spending more time on time-wasting activities like social media, video games, and TV. Those things are not bad in themselves, but for most people excessive use of those things is correlated with depression and poor mental health. 

I really enjoy reading. When I get very busy, this is one of the first things I stop doing. I have noticed that when I am reading fiction regularly, I feel more relaxed and I use my phone less. I try to make sure I read for at least 15 minutes every night before bed. It is not only enjoyable, but positively affects my ability to fall asleep since I am not looking at a screen and distracting my brain from my everyday worries. This practice positively impacts my life. 

What is a behavior that makes you feel better? How can you incorporate that behavior into your life?